Unstoppable Kings clinch Women’s Football League

Bashundhara Kings continued their utter dominance in the domestic football arena by clinching the Women’s Football League with a match to spare, replicating the men’s team who won the premier league, that too in its debut season.

Seasoned forward Sabina Khatun led the way towards the title triumph with league leading 30 goals, adding five to her tally Sunday against Jamalpur Kacharipara XI in Kamalapur’s Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium, as Kings ran away with the game with a 13-1 win.

The prolific Sabina bettered her previous tally of 25 goals for Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited in the inaugural season in 2011, and also that of previous highest league scorer in a single season, Abahani Limited’s Aung Mra Ching Marma, who scored 29 in their title winning campaign in 2013.

Such was the dominance of the Kings that the second and third highest scorer are also in their camp in the form of Srimoti Krishna Rani Sarkar and Tohura Khatun, who have 19 and 14 goals respectively.

With their 12th and last game still to go, the 27-year old Sabina will get the chance to add to her career tally of 261 goals. 

Alongside hat-trick hero Sabina, striker Tohura also grabbed a treble against Jamalpur, as Kings took their overall goal tally a whopping 104, against just the two conceded.

Kings' Mishrat Jahan Mousumi in action during their match against Jamalpur Kacharipara XI Dhaka Tribune

Nasrin Sports Academy finished as the runners-up side with 24 points from 10 games in what was just the third edition of the Women’s Football League, and the first in seven years.

The Kings have already equalled Sheikh Jamal and Abahani on one triumph each and few would bet against them adding to their league titles in the next few years, with some star studded national players at their disposal.

Kings head coach Mahmuda Khatun expressed elation with the title win, saying, “We had good roots. We had to nurse their talents when they came here at Kings. Their fitness level was much better compared to now before the league was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We worked together and hence, we got the result.

“We tried our best to do well, and it paid off. It wasn’t easy.”

Kings’ Mishrat Jahan Mousumi looked at the bigger picture, informing that the national team would be benefitted if the league takes place regularly.

She added, “It was important to hold the league after such a long gap (seven years). Everyone (seven teams) took part. A lot of players played in this league whom we don’t know. But they played well. Now more players would be added to the national team pipeline.”